Saturday, February 20, 2016

I've just finished working on this simple scarf for the coming season. I was in need of a project that wasn't going to take too long, with simple repetitive stitches for their therapeutic nature. Some craft therapy to ease my busy mind and to calm an anxiousness that was gradually building in my chest. Mindless repetition is good like that.

It's long and wide, and I really do love its simplicity and fall.

However, I've never used this yarn before. Its a cotton/acrylic blend, super soft to touch and drapes beautifully, but I'm really a little nervous about how well its going to wear. I can always trust 100% wool or 100% cotton to wash and wear with ease, so we'll just have to see how this one goes.

Fingers crossed, because it really feels like I'm wrapped up in a warm hug.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

The new school year has begun. Back into routine, commitments and after school activities. Back to getting organised, school lunches and uniforms. Back to being busy.

It all just seems to have come around so quickly already, and perhaps a little part of me is in denial. Our holidays were slow and easy. We didn't travel anywhere or do anything too grand or elaborate. Sometimes I feel a little bit guilty and worry the kids will go back to school listening to everyone else's amazing holiday adventures, wishing they could have done the same.

Running a business of your own makes time away very limited, and quite frankly, an impossibility for us just yet. While the kids had 6 weeks off school, we managed to close down for almost three weeks. Though its never without interruption, at least we were able to be at home and enjoy some down time all together.

Then I look at where we live.

During our break we took a sneaky bottle of bubbles down to the beach on New Years Eve. The kids played and swam, we looked at one another and knew we were both feeling the same thing. We could have paid a fortune to travel somewhere as magnificent, and to do just this. But we didn't have to, this is where we live, just a stroll down the end of the street.

I've decided that I need to keep this in mind during the everyday busyness of school term. To be a little bit spontaneous and to break away from the routine. If only just a bit.

Last Monday was the beginning of the first full week of term. Harvey was at Cadets and Nick at a twilight shoot. I went outside to put away shoes and tidy as I sent the other three upstairs to brush teeth ready for bed. It was such a gorgeous evening.

I couldn't help it, I yelled out to everyone to grab a jacket and come downstairs. Then instead of bed, off to the beach we went!

Oh the excitement! It was like the craziest thing I'd ever done! Like we were on some wild adventure somewhere we'd never been before. Secretly, I was hoping to goodness I wasn't going to live to regret it. Monday night and all, a whole week still ahead of us.

We weren't gone for ages, just long enough to wander and chat. To soak in the beauty and explore the rockpools. To be silly and to feel free.

It was worth it, and I didn't regret it. Bedtime may have been a little later than it needed to be that first night of term, but everyone slept soundly with the smell of sea mist on their skin and rolling waves echoing in their dreams.

Sunday, February 7, 2016

We combined a birthday sunset, the baby girl and I. She turned three last Saturday, but after a busy day of cake, family and ferris wheel rides, she was way too tuckered out to take in a sunset.

Then it was my turn. It was the most perfect summers day, clear blue skies, the slightest breath of wind, and the beach was calling my name. I was spoilt with a beautiful breakfast on our deck and handmade gifts and cards. We had a morning tea outing by the sea, swimming in crystal clear waters and pier jumping.

After dinner we headed down to the beach once more to find it covered in seaweed and a thick, humid mist. Perfect for fossicking and jewellery making, not so pleasant for wave jumping and swimming, but always good for the soul.

Time to sit and breathe it all in, I say it every time, it just fills you up.